Christopher Berneck Case Study

The way we chose to dress can express our identities and according to Frith and Gleeson (2004), “men’s clothing practices [in particular] are an important and pervasive form of appearance management that reflects the continued monitoring of their visual selves” (p. 40). Christopher Berneck is a Caucasian gay male born and raised in Germany. At just twenty-three he has accomplished feats most people only dream of. He is a world-renowned figure skater and competed for Germany at the Sochi Olympics. In addition, he is a model who has worked for Ford models and has done ads for fashion retailers including ZARA. Now he studies fashion communication at Ryerson and will be on Canada’s Next Top Model in the fall. Fashion has always played a large role in Chris’s life from a very young age. Being a gay male he often felt the need to fit in and not standing out as being too feminine despite his love for women’s fashion. He loves to mix and match women’s and men’s

He purchased the bag in Paris in June and he has barely used it so it still looks brand new. The bag is from the Speedy line with the classic LV monogram pattern in a rich brown and caramel colour. The shape of the bag is rectangular with a wide boxy bottom and sturdy rectangle structure that begins to taper towards the top (Figure 2). The metallic pieces such as the lockable double zipper and fastenings are painted gold. There is an adjustable shoulder strap as well as rounded handles making the bag versatile for shoulder, crossbody, and hand carry. The bag itself is made of canvas, the lining is a soft cotton material, and the straps, handles, and trimmings are made of natural cowhide leather. In addition, the tab on the handle is monogrammed with his initials (Figure 3). There is a hidden zippered pocket inside the lining shell. The bag is 30 x 21 x 17 cm in size making it ideal for light travel as a carry on